[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4494-4496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1585]
[[Page 4493]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
Department of the Interior
_______________________________________________________________________
Bureau of Indian Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
Grant Availability to Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes for Projects
Implementing Traffic Safety on Indian Reservations; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 14 / Monday, January 23, 1995 /
Notices
[[Page 4494]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Grant Availability to Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes for
Projects Implementing Traffic Safety on Indian Reservations
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs intends to make funds available
to federally-recognized Indian tribes on an annual basis for the
purpose of implementing traffic safety projects which are designed to
reduce the number of traffic accidents and their resulting fatalities,
injuries, and property damage within Indian reservations. Due to the
limited funding available for this program, all projects will be
reviewed and selected on a competitive basis. This notice is intended
to inform Indian tribes on the availability of funds and the process in
which the projects are selected.
DATES: Requests for funds must be received by June 1 of each program
year. Information packets will be distributed on February 24, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Each tribe must submit its request to the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Division of Safety Management, Attention: Indian Highway
Safety Program Coordinator. Information packets will be distributed on
February 24, 1995, to all tribal leaders at the addresses shown on the
latest Tribal Leaders List which is compiled by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Tribal Government Services, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tribes should direct questions
concerning the grant program to Norma D. Long, the Bureau's Indian
Highway Safety Program Coordinator or to Charles L. Jaynes, Program
Administrator, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box 2006, Albuquerque,
New Mexico 87103; telephone: (505) 766-2181.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-87) provides for
U.S. Department of Transportation funding to assist Indian tribes in
implementing highway safety projects. These projects are designed to
reduce the number of traffic crashes and their resulting fatalities,
injuries, and property damage within Indian reservations. All
federally-recognized Indian tribes on Indian reservations are eligible
to receive this assistance. All tribes which avail themselves of this
assistance are reimbursed for cost incurred under the terms of 23 USC
Sec. 402 and subsequent amendments.
Responsibilities
For purposes of application of the Act, Indian reservations are
collectively considered a ``State'' and the Secretary, U.S. Department
of the Interior (DOI), is considered the ``Governor of a State.'' The
Secretary, DOI, delegated the authority to administer the programs
throughout all the Indian reservations in the United States to the
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs. The Assistant Secretary--Indian
Affairs further delegated the responsibility for primary administration
of the Indian Highway Safety Program to the Central Office Division of
Safety Management (DSM), located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Chief,
DSM, as Program Administrator of the Indian Highway Safety Program, has
two full-time staff members to assist in program matters and provide
technical assistance to the Indian tribes. It is at this level that
contacts with the Department of Transportation are made with respect to
program approval, funding of projects and technical assistance. The
Department of Transportation, through the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), is responsible for assuring that the Indian Highway Safety
Program is carried out in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 402 and other
applicable Federal regulations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is responsible
for the apportionment of funds to the Secretary of the Interior, review
and approval of the Indian Highway Safety Plan involving NHTSA highway
safety program areas and technical guidance and assistance to BIA.
The Federal Highway Administration is responsible for review and
approval of the Indian Highway Safety Plan involving FHWA highway
safety program areas and technical guidance and assistance to BIA.
Program Areas
The Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of
1987, 23 U.S.C. 402(j), required the Department of Transportation to
conduct a rulemaking process to determine those programs most effective
in reducing traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities. Those program
areas were determined to be national priority program areas, and
include NHTSA Program areas: (1) Alcohol; (2) Police Traffic Services;
(3) Occupant Protection; (4) Traffic Records, and; (5) Emergency
Medical Services. FHWA Program Area: Traffic Engineering Services.
NHTSA and FHWA Program Areas: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety.
Funding Criteria
The Bureau of Indian Affairs will reimburse for eligible costs
associated with the following:
(1) Alcohol--Salary (DWI enforcement officer); enforcement/
education; NHTSA approved Training; Approved breath-testing equipment
(must be included on most recent Conforming Product List); community/
school alcohol traffic safety education; DWI offender education;
prosecution; adjudication; and vehicle expenses.
(2) Police Traffic Services--Salary (traffic enforcement/
education); traffic law enforcement/radar training; speed enforcement
equipment (must be listed on Consumer Products List); community/school
education; and vehicle expenses.
(3) Occupant Protection--(1) Child Passenger Safety--child car seat
loaner program; car seat transportation/storage, and; public
information/education. (B) Community Seat Belt Program--Salary;
education/promotional materials; office expenses, and; NHTSA-approved
Occupant Protection Usage and Enforcement (OPUE) Training.
(4) Traffic Records--Salary; computerized equipment.
(5) Emergency Medical Services--Training; public information
education.
(6) Traffic Engineering Services--Traffic signs (warning,
regulatory, work zone); hardware and sign posts.
Project Guidelines
Information packets will be forwarded to the tribes in the month of
February of each program year. Upon receipt of the information packet,
each tribe should prepare a proposed project based upon the following
guidelines:
A. Program Planning. Program planning shall be based upon the
highway safety problems identified and countermeasures selected by the
tribe for the purpose of reducing traffic crash factors.
B. Problem Identification. Highway traffic safety problems shall be
identified from the best data available. These data may be found in
tribal enforcement records on traffic crashes. Other sources of data
include ambulance records, court and police arrest records. The problem
identification process may be aided by using professional opinions of
personnel in law enforcement, Indian Health Service, driver education,
road [[Page 4495]] engineers, etc. These data should accompany the
funding request. Impact problems should be indicated during the
identification process. An impact problem is a highway safety problem
that contributes to car crashes, fatalities and/or injuries, and one
which may be corrected by the application of countermeasures. Impact
problems can be identified from analysis of statewide and/or tribal
traffic records. The analyses should consider, as a minimum:
pedestrian, motorcycle, pedalcycle, passenger car, school bus, and
truck accidents; records on problem drivers, roadside and roadway
hazards, alcohol involvement, youth involvement, defective vehicle
involvement, suspended or revoked driver involvement, speed involvement
and child safety seat usage. Data should accompany the funding request.
C. Countermeasures Selection. When tribal highway traffic safety
problems are identified, appropriate countermeasures shall be developed
by the tribe to solve or reduce the problems. The development of these
countermeasures should take into account the overall cost of the
countermeasures versus its possible effects on the problem.
D. Objectives/Performance Indicators. After countermeasure
selection, the objective(s) of the project must be expressed in clearly
defined, time-framed and measurable terms.
E. Budget Format. The activities to be funded shall be outlined
according to the following object groups: personnel services, travel
and transportation, rent/communications, printing & reproduction, other
services, equipment, and training. Each object group shall be
quantified, i.e., personnel activities should show number to be
employed, hours to be employed, hourly rate of pay, etc. Each object
group shall have sufficient detail to show what is to be procured, unit
cost, quarter in which the procurement is to be made and the total
cost, including any tribal contribution to the project. Due to limited
funding, this office will limit indirect costs to a maximum of 15%.
F. Evaluation Plan. Evaluation is the process of determining
whether a highway safety activity should be undertaken, if it is being
properly conducted and if it has accomplished its objectives. A plan
explaining how the evaluation will be accomplished and identifying the
criteria to be used in measuring performance shall be included in the
funding request.
G. Technical Assistance. The Indian Highway Safety Program staff
will be available to tribes for technical assistance in the development
of tribal projects.
H. Section 402 Project Length. Section 402 funds shall not be used
to fund the same project at one location or jurisdiction for more than
three years.
I. Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Indian
tribes receiving highway safety grants through the Indian Highway
Safety Program must certify that they will maintain a drug-free
workplace. The certification must be signed by an individual authorized
to sign for the tribe or reservation. The certification must be
received by the Department of Transportation prior to the release of
grant funds for that tribe or reservation. The certification must be
submitted with the tribal highway safety project proposal.
Submission Deadline
Each tribe must submit its funding request to the BIA Indian
Highway Safety Program, Albuquerque, NM. The request must be received
by the Indian Highway Safety Program by June 1 of each program year.
Requests for extension of this deadline will not be granted.
Modifications of the funding request received after the close of the
funding period will not be considered in the review and selection
processes.
Selection Criteria
Each project funding request will be reviewed and evaluated by the
Indian Highway Safety Program staff and ranked by assigning points to
four areas of consideration. Those areas of consideration and their
respective point values are listed below:
Magnitude of Problem--50 Points
1. Does a highway safety problem exist?
2. Is the problem significant?
3. Does the project contribute to the solution of the problem
identified?
4. Number of traffic crashes last three years? Alcohol related?
5. Number of reported fatalities last three years? Alcohol related?
Speed related?
6. Safety Belt/Child Safety Seat Usage data.
7. Law Enforcement data--violations/tickets issued.
8. Conviction data.
9. Tribal Safety Belt/Child Safety Seat Ordinance implemented.
Countermeasures Selection--40 Points
1. Are the countermeasures selected the most effective?
2. Are they cost effective?
3. Have objectives been stated in realistic performance terms and
are they attainable?
4. Are the objectives time-framed and are the time-frames realistic
and attainable?
Tribal Leadership and Community Support--10 Points
1. Are tribal resources used in this project? Tribal Resolution?
2. Does the project have community support? Support Letters?
3. Does the tribe have an ordinance or law which supports the
project?
Past Performance + or -10 Points.
1. Reporting (Financial & Programmatic).
2. Accomplishments.
Notification of Selection
The tribes selected to participate will be notified by letter. Each
tribe selected must have a Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements, and a duly authorized Tribal resolution included in their
proposal. The certification and resolution must be on file prior to the
release of grant funds for the tribe or reservation.
Notification of Non-Selection
The Program Administrator will notify each tribe of non-selection.
The tribe will be provided the reason for non-selection.
Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grant-in-Aid
Uniform grant administration procedures have been established on a
national basis for all grant-in-aid programs by DOT/NHTSA under 49 CFR
Part 18, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.'' Uniform
procedures for State Highway Safety Programs have been codified by
NHTSA and FHWA in 23 CFR Parts 1200, 1204, and 1205. Cost principles
applicable to grants and contracts with state and local governments
have been established by OMB Circular A-87 and NHTSA Order 462-13A. It
is the responsibility of the Indian Highway Safety Program to establish
operating procedures consistent with the applicable provisions of the
aforementioned rules and regulations, and guidelines established under
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-
240, 105 Stat. 1914).
Standards for Financial Management System
Tribal financial management systems must provide for:
1. Accurate, current, and complete disclosure of financial results
of the highway safety project. [[Page 4496]]
2. Adequate recordkeeping.
3. Control over and accountability for all funds and assets.
4. Comparison of actual with budgeted amounts.
5. Documentation of accounting records.
6. Appropriate auditing. Highway safety projects will be included
in the tribal A-128 Single Audit requirement.
Tribes will provide a quarterly financial and a program status
report to the Bureau's Indian Highway Safety Program Coordinator, P.O.
Box 2006, Albuquerque, NM 87103. These reports will be submitted no
later than seven (7) days beyond the reporting month.
Project Monitoring
During the program year, it is the responsibility of the BIA Indian
Highway Safety Program to maintain a degree of project oversight,
provide technical assistance as needed to assist the project in
fulfilling its objectives, and assure that grant provisions are
complied with.
Project Evaluation
A performance evaluation will be conducted for each highway safety
project by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The evaluation will measure
the actual accomplishments of the planned activity. On-site project
evaluation/monitoring will be made at the discretion of the Indian
Highway Safety Program Administrator.
Dated: December 30, 1994.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-1585 Filed 1-20-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P